Fetish: Bright ideas

This article was taken from the June 2013 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by <span class="s1">subscribing online.

Why reach for the colour palette when white looks so right?

Foam phonogram

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Teenage Engineering Styrofoam Turntable

This turntable is constructed almost entirely of high-density Styrofoam -- it is even used to make the arm for the stylus. For instant aural gratification, a built-in amplifier and speaker play tunes via holes cut through a corner of the foam. The turntable also features a USB slot for transferring music to a PC, an RCA out to plug into a bigger amp, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Available 2014.

The ideal bauble ratio and the sparkly science of decorating the perfect Christmas tree

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Why is Elon Musk dressed as a flamethrower-wielding angel?

ByVictoria Turk

Jeremy Cole White Flax

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The flax plant in his native New Zealand inspired Jeremy Cole to fashion this intricate ceramic suspension light. Its 368 handcrafted, geometrically arranged porcelain leaves are held in place by alloy/silicon fixings. Just three bulbs illuminate the 1.3m-diameter lamp, thanks to the design's efficient distribution of light, which uses a stainless-steel frame and central glass diffuser.

Don't dump your old phone, turn it into glitzy gold jewellery instead

A partnership between Dutch furniture designer Jan des Bouvrie and manufacturer Princess has resulted in a neat solution to appliances taking over the kitchen.

The Compact-4-All modular system comprises a 0.5-litre kettle, double toaster, coffee maker and a juicer. Each one is 20cm cubed, so you can use them separately, stack them, or place in a row and power them through just one outlet.

Stella McCartney is on a quest to save you from the fashion industry

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The inside story of Monzo's fluky bright coral bank cards

ByNicole Kobie

Yota Devices YotaPhone

An Android 4.2 phone with two 4.3-inch displays, the YotaPhone smartphone features a colour LCD screen on one side, and a 200dpi electronic paper display (EPD) on the other. The low-power EPD helps stretch out battery life, as it displays last-seen information without drawing on energy. Double the screens could mean double the pain if you dropped it, but Gorilla Glass 3 offers extra protection.

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From speakers to sandwiches, feast your eyes on the ultimate luxury Christmas gifts

ByChris Haslam

Roger Stillman

Mind monitor

InteraXon Muse

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This brainwave headband works with games and apps to provide real-time measurement of neural activity, thanks to four electroencephalography sensors placed in the loop of the headband. The Muse monitors delta (sleep), theta (visualisation), alpha (relaxation), beta (problem-solving) and gamma (higher mental activity) waves, and syncs with Android or iOS devices via Bluetooth.